Book Love for Jukebox

When I first heard of a new book coming from Nidhi Chanani, the author and illustrator of Pashmina, I was overjoyed. Jukebox is an inviting graphic novel experience, told in this creator’s visual style. It is an exploration of music and identity through words and pictures, and even through time and place.

As the pages unfold, Chanani takes us into Shahi’s world, revealing character to us through dialogue and even wordless pages. There is life, emotion, anxiety, and loss woven into this human story, all with music homage throughout the pages. There is also a magical turn in the book that works well for the overall narrative and opens up new possibilities, allowing the reader to travel through history. This move affords lots of opportunities for classroom conversations and directions for learning more.

Jukebox is visually appealing, well-developed in terms of story, and a beautiful introduction for readers who have not experienced the transformative and transporting qualities of musical voices like Bessie Smith, Marvin Gaye, Nina Simone, and more.

A highly recommended book that I simply cannot wait to share with students!